


Suppose you was a little cat...

by SorryFreudianSlip



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Animal Abuse, Creepy Hannibal is creepy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 17:30:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6018568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SorryFreudianSlip/pseuds/SorryFreudianSlip
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Bev gave me a bunny.”</p>
<p>Hannibal straightened up from the kitchen counter. He was placing edible flowers on Petit Fours with black chopsticks. “A rabbit?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Will is given baby animals. Hannibal is charmed. Everyone is happy and nothing hurts. Warnings for violence against animals and neglect (all mentioned in passing, and not expounded upon or committed by main characters.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Suppose you was a little cat...

**Author's Note:**

> ...residing in a person's flat/who fed you fish and scratched your ears/you'd notice him
> 
> Don't judge me. I wanted to write something cute.
> 
> Title from "Mr. Cellophane", from Chicago.

“Hello there, little guy. Oh!”

The bunny sneezed. It was too young to open its eyes, and was the color of a spectacular rich chocolate ganache. Bev watched Will wring his hands and shuffle around the little enclosure.

“Who’d-a-thunk it. Anti-Social Scruffy Graham likes the buns. That one’s Cinna, by the way. Cinna Bun.”

“You are the absolute worst, Beverly Katz.” Will said, not taking his eyes off the bunny. His fingers twitched.

“Cinna Bun the third, actually. The pun was too good to pass up, I’ve got two others. You can pet him.”

“I think I’d scare him.”

Will’s hands were shaking, pale and skeletal under the heat lamp of the enclosure. He stroked Cinna’s ears with his thumb.

***

“Bev gave me a bunny.”

Hannibal straightened up from the kitchen counter. He was placing edible flowers on Petit Fours with black chopsticks. “A rabbit?”

Will wondered if he could correct Hannibal, if only to hear the word ‘bunny’ in his accent. He decided to pass it up. “Yep. His name's Cinna.”

“Sinner? Morbid name, for an animal associated with purity and innocence.”

“Cinna. Cinna Bun.”

Hannibal looked at Will with a blank expression. Will grinned. “I’ll tell Bev you approve.”

“You’ll tell her no such thing.” He gestured to the Petit Fours. “Please.”

Will hesitated, looking from Hannibal to the fork to the chopsticks. He picked the cake up between his middle finger and his thumb, admiring it. The corners of Hannibal’s eyes crinkled and his lips twitched.

“It’s a shame to eat something so lovely.” Will said. He tipped the cake to Hannibal in a mini toast and plopped it into his mouth.

“Yes.” Hannibal watched him swallow and smile, all blood and bones and alive. “Truly a shame.”

***

“You’re the cock of the walk, Z.”

“I’m flattered, Price. Look at the size of it!”

“That’s a goose, you moose.”

“Shut up, Bev. Y’know they have teeth on their tongues?”

“That’s pretty weird.”

The murderer of the week killed their neighbor, who had a goose. The murderer strangled the goose for screaming when he was trying to walk by and pecking at him. They were standing around the goose to find clues and to just sort of take a break.

“Poor little thing.” Will said, hoarse. He should stop dry swallowing pills. There was an awkward beat of silence.

“Will,” Jack said, materializing from nowhere. “Can you…” He waved at the goose corpse.

“Empathize with a goose?”

“Yeah.”

“Uhm.”

“Yeah.”

“I mean, there’s a first time for everything.” Beverly said, helpful as always.

“I guess I could try.”

“Clear the area!” Jack bellowed in a half-hearted sort of way.

Okay. Will has done weirder in the sake of the law. He knelt beside the poor fowl, rubbing his hands on his trousers. His mind was blank. He blinked. Okay.

Okay. So. This goose was an asshole. He had piece of cargo fabric in his teeth, which Will could only assume was from the murderer’s pants. Will wasn’t sure if the anger he felt from the crime scene was from the murderer or the goose.

The goose, Will decided. The anger was righteous. Protective, maybe. Protective of the keeper who fed him and gave him shelter. Will frowned. That wasn’t right. Protective in a desperate way. Protective to where you have no thought for your own body and-

“Oh!”

A baby goose. It had been hiding under the porch, led out by Will’s silence.

“Why, hello there.” Will curled his hand around the little ball of fluff, drawing it close to his chest. The goose made a little snorkle noise, falling asleep against his warmth.

***

“I now have a goose."

Hannibal shook his head, pouring Will a glass of port. “A goose and a baby rabbit.”

“They’re both babies. Her name is Ryan.”

“Ryan the goose?”

“Ryan the Gosling.”

Hannibal sighed, passing Will his glass. Will laughed once, pleased Hannibal got the joke. A pleasant warmth settled in his body when Hannibal’s fingers touched his. Hannibal took his hand, turning his palm towards the light and massaging it with his thumb. Will became aware of his breathing.

“Do we have Agent Katz to blame for this, along with the dreadful wordplay?”

“She helped me build a pond.”

“That’s wonderful.” Hannibal pulled away with a smile, sipping at his wine. 

***

Will built Cinna’s cage in the window of his kitchen, so the far wall of the cage was glass. Will made sure it was secure and warm, with a little rectangular house in the cage with some hay and a wood block. Will would have to look more stuff up on the internet, but felt it was time to introduce Cinna and Ryan to their new home.

“Cinna, Ryan, everybody. Everybody, Cinna and Ryan.” The dogs cocked their heads or wagged their tails. No snapping for growling. Good. Will unhooked the door of the cage, an impressive feat considering the baby animals nestled in his arms. He deposited Cinna on top of the little nest of hay, and cradled Ryan closer to his chest.

“Goodnight, guys.”

***

“Well, don’t we have a little farm going?” Alana’s smile was sweet, open.

“We sure do.” Will stood up, straightening his sweater and adjusting his sleeves.

“You’re family is growing. You’re surrounded by warmth and love.”

“It’s a work in progress.” Will gestured to the pond outside, which the dogs were splashing in. Ryan the Gosling slept in a pink blanket on Cinna’s cage.

“That’s family.”

***

“I shouldn’t take anymore animals.”

“Will, I’m begging you. I’d get down on my knees, but I’d feel guilty doing so in front of my dear Price.”

“Thank you, Z.”

“What’s her name?”

“Madison. Isn’t she a cutie? Look at those mismatched eyes, Graham. They’re pleading with you. We could play some Sarah McLachlan, if that’d help.”

The pitbull was adorable. Will squinted at Zeller’s phone, enlarging her eyes. One was blue, the other a greenish yellow. “Why’s she out in the cold?”

“Uh.” Zeller rubbed the back of his head. “Pit Bulls are a bad breed, or something.” Price sighed, crossing his arms and looking down at his shoes. Will stared at the phone.

“I’ll take her. Where do I pick her up?”

***

“It’s weird, Hannibal. He’s usually more social.”

Cinna hid away in his little house while Hannibal peered inside the cage. “Skittish little fellow. Small. Something to protect.”

Hannibal glanced around the kitchen. Dogs were on their bellies with their noses to the floor, some wagging their tails in hope for a sausage. The newest one blinked up at him, panting and twitching her ears. The goose was in the sink, getting a bath from her owner.

“You protect them. You love them. You cradle them close and wash their coats. You give them scraps of food you should be eating.” With every breath, Hannibal stepped up behind Will. He settled his hands on Will’s hips, resting his chin on his shoulder to watch him work. Will froze and stuttered.

“I wanted to help them. They needed the food, and the love.”

“You have that in common. Strength in numbers, no?” Hannibal smiled against his ear, and leant down to kiss Will’s lips.

Will melted. The rabbit trembled, pressing against the window.

**Author's Note:**

> suffer with me at sorryfreudianslip.tumblr.com
> 
> (sorry if i got animal care stuff wrong. idk anything about anything sorry)


End file.
